Workers rally in protest

By Sarah Schwager
TEACHERS and firefighters from Dandenong were among Tuesday’s huge crowd of workers protesting against controversial changes to national workplace laws.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) estimated 210,000 people turned up at Federation Square, making it Melbourne’s biggest political rally on record.
Firefighter Robert Cochrane from Dandenong CFA said career firefighters from Dandenong, Springvale, Hallam and Frankston had turned up to show their support for the protest.
“We are here today to protest against those industrial relations laws that the (Howard) Government is proposing and the effect that is going to have on our industry but also on other industries and workers in general,” he said.
Firefighter Dave Blumdell, also from Dandenong CFA, said it was important to fight for their rights as workers.
“We’re here to support Australian working conditions and Australian workers, to protect our rights and provide a future for the next generation of kids coming through,” he said.
Dandenong’s Cleeland Secondary College assistant principal Craig Allamby said more than 20 teachers had attended the rally, forcing the school to keep a year level at home. He said students in years 11 and 12 had finished their studies, and the year 10 level was asked to stay home.
A small group of teachers from Springvale’s Killester College represented the school union at the rally, but there was no disruption to classes.
Eleven teachers from Lyndale Secondary College in Dandenong also attended, also with no disruption to classes.
Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Brian Boyd, speaking at the rally, congratulated the crowd on its support.
“This is what we do best in Melbourne – turn up in our tens of thousands,” Mr Boyd said. “A lot of this campaign will have to be fought back in the workplace, defying the Howard Government, defying in the thousands, risking fines.”
ACTU president Sharan Burrow urged the crowd to stand up for their values.
“For more than 100 years Australia has had an industrial relations system that … has ensured there are decent protections for people,” she said. “This is a protection that the Government will destroy.
“None of our conditions will be safe – penalty rates, holiday pay … John Howard, our Prime Minister, is putting it all up for grabs.”